Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the January 31 deadline for currency swap to February 17, 2023, saying he hoped Nigerians will use the new window of extension to do the needful.
Recall that on earlier on Sunday, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had granted approval for a 10-day extension for currency swap from January 31, 2023, while the the apex bank has also added another seven-day grace.
Emefiele explained that at the expiration of the 10-day extension, Nigerians with old Naira notes will have to take them to the CBN directly for a swap with new notes.
Atiku, who took to his verified social media handles on Sunday to comment on the development, described the deadline extension as commendable even as he called on the CBN to encourage the commercial banks to step up their mobile banking activities to ensure that Nigerians in remote areas and the unbanked benefit from the extension.
The PDP presidential candidate wrote: “It is commendable that the CBN finally listened to the patriotic voices for a slight extension of the January 31 deadline for the exchange of old Naira notes to minimise its adverse effects on the most vulnerable of our people.
“I suggest that the CBN should encourage the banks to step up their mobile banking activities to ensure that Nigerians in remote areas and the unbanked benefit from this extension.
“It is my hope that Nigerians will take advantage of this new window to change their old notes to new ones. -AA.”
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